Hatch tent shoe



July 5, 1954 M. 1 MGHUGH 2,682,882

HATCH TENT sHoE Filed Nov. 2, 1950 2 Sheexs'f-Sheet 1 M. L.. MGHUGH HATCH TENT SHOE July 6, 1954 Filed Nov. 2, 1950 INVENTOR MAR/0Nb L. MHUGH y; l j f/A/TTORNEYS Patented July 6, 1.954

HATCH TENT SHOE Marion L. McHugh, San Antonio, Tex.

Application November 2, 1950, Serial No. 193,695

7 Claims.

' side of the end-block. When this situation is aggravated, dangerous Wear occurs in the fall line.

The objects of this invention are to produce a tent shoe, or end-block assembly, in which the fall line is urged into contact with the sheave, to Lproduce a construction in which ridge cables cooperate with the tent shoe to prevent chang of the fall line, and to produce a tent shoe by means s of which the hatch tent may be rigged rapidly and without forcing the tent shoe out of alignment with the ridge cable.

In general, these objects are obtained by constructing a tent shoe of approximate V-shape, and causing the ridge cables to converge toward the open end of the V, the distance between the ridge cables immediately 'in front of the shoe being less than the open end of the shoe. The fall line, if not centered between the ridge cables when moving toward the shoe, will strike one of the ridge cables at the narrow point, and jump from this point onto the sheave located at the bottom of the V shoe. Hanging of the fall line against the side of the shoe is thus prevented. Additionally, the suspension and backstay ttings for the shoe are combined so that when the tent is rigged the shoe will be level and straight.

The means by which these and other objects of the invention are obtained are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the tent shoe and ridge cable assembly;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2--2, Figure 1;

y.Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View on the line 4-4, Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of Figure 1.

Tent shoe 2 is of generally V-shaped form, and

includes an end portion 4 from which diverge side portions 6 having curved beaded edges 8, said beads extending around the end of portion 4. A flange I0 also extends around shoe 2, said flangebeing below and adjacent to the middle of 'sides 6. The inner part of end portion 4 is cut out from the bottom, note Figure 4, anda sheave I2 mounted therein. The side flanges of sheave I2 are covered on the'top and ends of the sheave, the sheave being insertable through the bottom of the shoe as seen in Figure 4.

At the free ends of side portions 6, above iiange I0, said sides are beveled to denne angled surfacesv against which fittings I4 bear. Each of these ttings comprises a tube having a tapered faired nose I6, the rear edge of which constitutes a shoulder I8 bearing against the end of side portion 6, and a projection 20 resting on and adapted to be riveted to flange I0.

The ridge cables 22, which dene the slotted opening in the ridge of the hatch tent, and to which the tent canvas is attached, are formed of a single length of cable, the bight of which is passed about end portion 4 of shoe 2, said cable resting on ange IIJ. The cable passes through each tting I4 and is secured to the tting and to ange I0 by rivet 24. It is noted, Figure 2,

that one head of rivet 24 bears on flange I0, and

Although sides 6 of shoe 2 diverge outwardly to form an opening having a width of W, the angle at which ttings I4 are set causes cables 22 to converge to form a throat in front of shoe 2, this throat having an opening D which is less than W. As the fall line, diagrammatically illustrated at F, moves off center between cables 22 toward shoe 2, it will strike the cable in the narrow throat portion. The load on the lower end of the fall line will continue to move while that portion of the f all line engaging the cable is retarded in movement toward shoe 2 until cable 22 yields in a resilient flexing movement. The fall line then straightens out with a snap that carries it into shoe 2 and onto sheave I2. 'Ihe tendency of the fall cable to bind against sides 6 and hang there While the line is running vertically, is thus eliminated.

A further feature of the invention lies in the attachment of the suspension and back stay lines to shoe 2 so that the shoe will be held in a straight, horizontal position in alignment with cables 22. An integral extension @D projects rearwardly of portion l above flange lil. The shank of eyebolt 32 is passed through a hole drilled in extension 3G, the lower end of the shank serving to secure Ia shackle S4, to which a second shackle 3S is secured by shoulder bolt 3B. The shank of eyebolt 32 is loosely mounted in the hole so that it is rotatable on its axis, and movable slightly in the direction of its axis. The back tent rope is attached to shackle B, it being noted that longitudinal adjustment of shoe 2 is permitted by the swivel joint between shackle 35 and extension 38.

The lower eye fill of a double eyeboit 42 is linked with eye 32, and the vertical suspension rope secured to upper eye 44. The back stay rope is looped around shank 6G of eyebolt d2. Four forces act on the shoe, namely, the weight of the tent, the pull of cables 22, the pull of the suspension line, and the baci: stay pull. By attaching the back .stay rope to shank 4E, this pull is transmitted through linked eyes il and 32 and will not throw shoe 2 out of line. Likewise, as shoe 2 is rotatable about the axis of the shank of eyebolt 32, neither the pull of the backstay rope nor the pull of the tent ropes will force shoe 2 out of line. Strain on the canvas adjacent the rear end of shoe 2 is eliminated by the ability of the shank of eyebolt 32 to move vertically. Thus, the canvas is secured to cables 22 around shoe 2, and the tent ropes fastened to shackle 36, so that when the tent is raised the tent ropes are pulled taut and take the load off of the canvas.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention are obtained, I claim:

l. A tent shoe assembly for a hatch tent including a pair of ridge cables secured to a tent shoe having a pair of sides closed at one end and open at the opposite end, comprising fittings secured to said shoe for holding said cables convergent toward each other outwardly of said open end, and forming a throat having an opening of less width than said open end.

2. A tent shoe assembly as in claim 1 further comprising exible armor covering said cable at said throat portion.

3. A tent shoe for the slotted ridge of a hatch tent comprising a V-shaped body, the free ends of the sides of said body having bearing surfaces convergent toward each other outwardly of said body.

4. A tent shoe as in claim 3, a flange extending along the sides of said body adapted to support a ridge cable.

5. In a hatch tent construction having a pair of cables forming an open slotted ridge, and a sheave mounted at one end of said slot, means forming a fall line guideway having sides diverging outwardly from said sheave, and means cooperating with said gnideway means for holding said cables in convergent relationship to form a narrow throat outwardly of said guideway means.

6. In a hatch tent construction as in claim 5, said guideway means comprising a V-shaped body, means mounting said sheave in the apex portion of said body, and means for securing said `cables to the sides of said body.

7. in a hatch tent construction as in claim 6, said converging cable holding means comprising bearing surfaces convergently inclined toward each other adjacent the free ends of the sides of said body, and means for holding said cables against said surfaces.

References cited in the nie of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Number Name Date 1,113,256 Smith 0013. 13, 1914 1,655,536 Dumm Jan. l0, 1928 2,252,018 McHugh Aug. 12, 1941 

